Carrie Richards's Blog

About Carrie Richards

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I have been a part of Poetry Soup since 2009, and have made wonderful friendships, and been inspired beyond what I had could have ever imagined . As a novice poet when I first joined up, I have learned so much, thanks to all of you. Thank you for the many gifts of poetry, challenges, and inspirations. But especially for the friendship and encouragement offered here. Thank you all, very much !

Summer and Smoke

Blog Posted:7/18/2013 12:22:00 PM

Though I'm not referring to the Tennessee William play, "Summer and Smoke", his themes were always on the dark side. I'll try not to make this blog dark or depressing. But can't help but ponder these thoughts this morning, as I pack up for a weekend in the Northern California mountains, to get out of the heat, and hopefully......see blue in the sky......and not a smidgeon of smoke! My own summer of smoke seems to be unfortunate coincidences occurring to people I know, in regard to fire season in the western United States. I am not necessarily touched by these things personally, however, this has been a season of smoke for so many people I know, it reminds me of the Kevin Bacon theory that we are only within "six degrees of separation".....from all things, good or bad. At the present moment a fire is raging in Southern California near the resort/mountain community of Idyllwild, where I spent every summer as a kid, and where my family had property and a cabin for 30+ years of my life. Hopefully, they will be able to get it under control, but we are keeping watch on the news.I still know people who live there, or have mountain retreats in the area. I hope they stay out of harms way. As most of you may have read, the tragic death of 19 firefighters in Arizona recently, claimed the life of a young man from my husband's side of the family, his cousin's son, (William Warneke). And though, we are more distantly related, it touched us deeply. Not long before this terrible event, my good friend and neighbor told me of her niece's home being the first of 380 homes to be lost in Colorado's huge Black Forest fire.... It has taught me, that in every tragedy.........regardless of who, what, where we are, where we live, family or not...... we are a family as human beings....living on the same planet, makes us kin. We can care, and maybe make something better in some small way in our own tiny world....... All of us are touched in some way by tragedy.....be it nature, or man..... but living our lives, with a helping hand, a kind gesture....making a difference in very small ways...... can be enormous. Have a great/ safe / weekend everyone!

I like your comments on being kind and helping one another. I will take this opportunity to say that you are kind and helpful yourself. You are very encouraging, so I hope that others are now encouraging you.

I hardly see blogs from you, but when I do, they are such worthwhile and lovely ones as this is. My condolences for the loss in your extended family. And you are right, we are all touched by these events, if not now, some time or other we will be affected and we need to be there for those in our own areas when tragedy strikes!

As others have said, Carrie, i share your loss...everywhere, our brothers and sisters face hardship...i was watching "gaslands 2" and people across the country are having their drinking water poisoned with methane from deep shale mining, the EPA has been told to stand down by our gov't...and investigations halted....we must stand together! Jimbo

You are correct, Ruben....when there is a loss, heartache, or disaster, it is everyone's loss....be it in my world, or yours....whether in my country, or yours..or my family or yours..... I cannot own this, I did not know him....but I can feel the 'connection' regardless.

Carrie you are so right about us being the family of man..this is why I struggle to understand bigotry and the hatred it stems from.I just can't comprehend it and feel it's mostly pure ignorance.So sorry to hear about your distant relative-the young man who gave his life. If we all just tried to be kind to another in some small way this world would be as magnificent as it was meant to be...Take care...Deb